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Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Judging: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Time: Begins at 10:00am Central Time
Entry Deadline: March 19, 2025, 11 PM Central Time
Competition Date: April 2, 2025, 10 AM Central Time
Awards Ceremony: April 23, 2025, 7 PM Central Time (virtual)
Entry Fees: $15/members; $20/non-members
Number of Entries Allowed: A maximum of five in a category. No overall limit on entries beyond the category limit of five.
Entry Size: Files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4000 pixels. Each file must contain
an embedded color profile of either sRGB or AdobeRGB 1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality
setting of 10.
Image Eligibility:
Judging: Entries will be judged on PPA’s Twelve Elements of a Merit Image.
Questions:
The image competition co-chairs are Ellen Zangla and Danica Barreau. Please address any questions to them:
Ellen Zangla, ellen@ellenzanglaphotography.com
Danica Barreau, danica@pouka.com
We use PrintCompetition.com to host our image competition.
You will need to log in (set up an account), then select ISAP as the association.
Scroll down and select the gray "Create a New Entry" button.
Fill in the blanks from there and upload your images.
More detailed instructions below.
Animal Antics: Humorous animal actions, reactions, etc. that are unplanned and uncontrived.
Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without text, liquify,
or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Animals and Humans: Photos of people and animals with the intent to show the relationship
between them. Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill, generative fill
without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Animals — Natural: For all animals other than wildlife (see “Wildlife — Natural” description
below). Minor adjustments to crop, rotate, selective dodge and burn, reduce noise, sharpen,
adjust color/black-and-white, or apply grain are allowed. Minor cleaning jobs to remove sensor
dust or chromatic aberration are allowed. Removing lights, stands, leashes, or assistants is
allowed as long as what they are replaced with does not change the original reality of the image.
Photo stitching, focus stacking, and multi-exposure are allowed as long as it is shot at the same
time and in the same place as a consecutive sequence, seconds or minutes apart. It is NOT
allowed to add, delete, or move elements by cloning, healing, patching, content-aware fill, liquify,
or similar tools. The original captured image (in RAW or JPEG) must be uploaded with the entry.
Artist: Main subject(s) must be photographed by the maker. At least one of the main subjects
must be an animal. Images that have been photographed and then trained in an AI program do
not qualify as photographed main subjects. The entry may also include painting, freehand
drawing, and elements that the maker didn’t photograph but has permission to use. AI art
generated by text may be used to create backgrounds or elements of the entry. Do NOT include
guide images on your entry. The original captured image (in RAW or JPEG) of the main subject
must be uploaded with the entry.
Cats: Portraits of domestic cats, indoors or outdoors. Cats younger than seven months old
should be entered in the “Puppy and Kittens Category.” Painting, cloning, healing, patching,
remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted.
AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Dogs Indoors: Portraits of dogs, whether in your studio, a client’s home, or any other indoor
location. Dogs younger than seven months old should be entered in the “Puppy and Kittens
Category.” Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without
text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Dogs Outdoors: Portraits of dogs at any outdoor location. Dogs younger than seven months
old should be entered in the “Puppy and Kittens Category.” Painting, cloning, healing, patching,
remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted.
AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Dogs In Action: Dogs running, jumping, swimming, etc. Dogs younger than seven months old
should be entered in the “Puppy and Kittens Category.” Painting, cloning, healing, patching,
remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted.
AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Equine and Farm Animals: Horses and other farm animals, such as cows, chickens, sheep,
etc. Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without text,
liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not permitted. Wild horses
should be entered in either the “Wildlife — Illustrative Category” or the “Wildlife — Natural
Category” (depending on the editing; see their rules below).
Other Domestic Animals: Gerbils, rabbits, lizards, etc. Must be pets, not wildlife or wild
animals. Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill, generative fill without
text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not permitted.
Puppy and Kittens: Dogs and cats six months of age or younger. Every animal in the photo
must meet that age requirement. Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove, content-aware fill,
generative fill without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated art using text is not
permitted.
Sporting Animals (Reportage/Documentary): Images that illustrate an actual public or
non-public animal sporting event, such as conformation, agility, barrel racing, rodeo, dock diving,
etc. ONLY basic color and brightness adjustments including black and white conversion,
cropping, dodging, and burning in are allowed. Noise reduction and sensor dust removal are
allowed. Only single-capture images will be accepted. Composite and multiple-exposure or
in-camera file stacked images will not be accepted. The originally captured image (in RAW or
JPEG) must be uploaded with the entry.
Wildlife — Illustrative: Wildlife/wild animals in captivity and/or under a person’s direction
should be entered into this category. Wildlife that doesn’t meet the editing rules for “Wildlfe —
Natural” also should be entered into this category. Painting, cloning, healing, patching, remove,
content-aware fill, generative fill without text, liquify, or similar tools are permitted. AI-generated
art using text is not permitted.
Wildlife — Natural: Images must depict actual wildlife in a natural habitat. Baiting to attract,
control, or manipulate wildlife is not permitted. Minor adjustments to crop, rotate/flip, selective
dodge and burn, reduce noise, sharpen, adjust color/black-and-white, or apply grain are
allowed. Minor cleaning jobs to remove sensor dust or chromatic aberration are allowed. Photo
stitching, focus stacking, and multi-exposure are allowed as long as it is shot at the same time
and in the same place as a consecutive sequence, seconds or minutes apart. It is NOT allowed
to add, delete, or move elements by cloning, healing, patching, content-aware fill, liquify, or
similar tools. The original captured image (in RAW or JPEG) must be uploaded with the entry
Category Winners: After the judging is complete on April 2, judges will choose a category
winner from the top ten scoring meriting images (and ties) in each category. Awarded a trophy.
Best in Show: Judges will choose “Best in Show” from the category winners. Awarded a trophy.
Judge’s Choice Awards: Each judge will choose his or her favorite image from among all the
entries. Awarded a ribbon.
ISAP Animal Photographer of the Year: This award is intended to show versatility and is
awarded to the animal photographer showing excellence in at least five categories. Entrants
must merit at least one image in five different categories. The case (of five) total will decide the
winner. In the event of a tie, the case median determines the winner. If an entrant merits more
than one image in a category, the highest scoring image in the category will be used. If an
entrant merits in more than five categories, the five highest scoring images will be used, with no
more than one coming from each category. Awarded a trophy.
CPP Award: Provided by PPA and awarded to the highest scoring entry by a member in good
standing with PPA and who is a current CPP. In the case of a tie, the judges will select a winner.
The awards ceremony will take place virtually on April 23, 2025, at 7 PM Central Time. Trophies will be mailed to the category winners within two weeks of the competition. Domestic shipping is included in the award. International winners are responsible for paying shipping costs for their awards.
ISAP Image Competition Rules 2025 (pdf)
DownloadImages entered into the image competition can receive scores up to 100 points, dependent on how they meet the 12 Elements of a Merit Image. Images are scored using the following scale:
100 - 95: Exceptional
94 - 90: Superior
89 - 85: Excellent
84 - 80: Deserving of a Merit
79 - 75: Above Average
74 - 70: Average
69 - 65: Below Exhibition Standards
The average score of the five judges will be the final score.
ISAP uses printcompetition.com, an online management system for judging and scoring.
Why printcompetition.com?
* Included with Premium membership on the website
We encourage you to become a printcompetition.com member before Image Competition. Membership in the Print Competition website is not required to watch image competitions but it is required to enter image competitions. ISAP members receive a discount on their entries.
Steps for Becoming a printcompetition.com member
Steps for Entering the ISAP Image Competition:
We use PrintCompetition.com to host our image competition.
Congrats to all entrants taking part in the 2024 ISAP Image Competition! If your images scored 80 or above, the judges felt it was "meritorious" work (or better!). You may download the digital ribbons below that are appropriate for your final scores. We hope these will help you market your business and appeal to new clients. Congratulations!
We are thrilled to offer animal photography workshops all over the place! All-day workshops jam packed with education offered by working photographers, for working photographers. BONUS: PPA members receive a service merit for attending!
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